Electric bread toaster



July 25,1933- "E. s. JOHNSON ELECTRIC BREAD TOASTER 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed May 28, 1930 Z Z; w m x Z Illlll July 25, 1933. E. s. JOHNSON ELECTRIC BREAD TOASTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 193Q rm 0w J k d f W 9 1 w a ivj m ,m L I w a M w n, M 5

Patented July 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST S. JOHNSON, OF WEBSTER CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR '10 KNAPP-MONARCH COMPANY, OF WEBSTER CITY, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI ELECTRIC BREAD TOASTER The object of my invention is to provide an electric bread toaster of simple, durable and comparativelyinexpensive construction.

More particularly it is my purpose to provide an electriobreadtoaster wherein the bread, after it has been toasted, will automatically be ejected'from the toaster itself.

A further object is to provide a support for a slice of bread normally arranged in horizontal position during the toasting operation and assuming an inclined position after completion of the toasting operation, for discharge of the slice of bread from the toaster.

A further object is to provide an. automatic timing mechanism for controlling the duration of the interval'which the slice of bread will remain in horizontal position.

Still another object is to provide a toaster wherein the bread may be removed from the toaster independent of the automatic operation thereof and in which the bread ma be re-inserted within the toaster without e ecting the automatic operation thereof.

A further object is toprovide a toaster wherein the support for the slice of bread to be toasted moves to an inclined position after completion of the toasting operation and permits the bread to slide by gravity away from the toaster to a position where the heating means of the-toaster will not affect the bread to be toasted.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although the invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more than one in order to give a full understanding of the invention both from its structural and functional standpoints. Accordingly, I have illustrated a preferred and desirable embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved automatic bread Figure 2 is a central sectional view through the same.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

- Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a detail diagrammatic view generally a base and support. The support A is provided with a raised base 10 upon which a casing B is mounted. The casing B includes a pair of side walls 12 and a top wall 14. One end wall is completely closed as at 16 and the other end wall 18 is rovided with an opening 20. It will'thus be seen that I provide a casing closed on all sides and ends except the end 18, which is provided with an opening for permitting the slice of bread to be inserted within the toaster.

The casing B is provided with tongues or the like 22 which project through slots in the base 10 and. are thereafter bent over for rigidly connecting the casing B to the base or support A. On each side of the opening 1 20 and within the casing B I provide a heating unit frame C. The frame C is channel shaped in cross section and is formed of a single piece of metal bent to provide a bottom 26, a pair of ends 28 and a top 30. Within the portions 26 and 30'of the frame 0 I mount a plurality of hooks 32, which are insulated from the frame C by washers 34 formed of insulating material. A heating element 36 is strung or fastened onto the books .32 in substantially the manner shown in Figure 2 of the drawings and the ends thereof are in contact with the electric supply wires 38. The wires 38 pass through a washer 40 mounted in the base A. The heating unit is substantially the same on each side of the opening 20.

Within the end portions 28 of the frame C grid wires 42 are arranged on. an angle in- The frames C are each held in position withnected to a bracket or the clined relative to horizontal and the purpose thereof will hereinafter be more fully set forth. The grid wires have their ends projecting through openings formed in the end portions 28 and are'arranged to remain in fixed relationship relative to the frames C.

in the casing B by bolts or the like 44.

It will be noted that the grid wires 42 mounted in each frame C are spaced a slight distance apart so as to provide a space therebetween for receiving the slice of bread.

The grid wires 42 are so arran ed that aslice of bread may be inserted t rough the openings 20 in the casing and be received between the grid wires 42. In order to support a slice of bread to be toasted between the grid wires 42 I provide a bread support 46. The breadsupport 46 is ivotally cone 48. The bracket 48 is in turn mounted upon the end wall 16 of the casing' B. The connection between the sup ort 46 and the bracket 48 is accomplished by a pintle rod 50.

It will be noted that my support 46 is pivotally mounted and sup orted at only one end. The support 46 is ree to move up and down between the grid wires 42. In order to retain the support 46 in horizontal position for supporting a slice of bread to be engaging piece 62 is mounted upon the outer .the lever D extendsthrough a slot 60 formed toasted, I provide a lever mechanism whic I will now describe in detail.

Pivotally secured to one of the walls 12 of the casing A is a bell crank lever D havmg an operating part 52 and an actuating part 54. A bolt or the like 56 serves as the pivot point for the bell crank lever D. The

actuating part 54 of the lever D has an inwardl directed support engaging portion 58. he part 58 moves with the bell crank lever D and is rigidly secured thereto by welding or any other suitable fastening means. The operating part 52, or handle, of

in the end wall 18 of the casing B. A finger free end of the lever D. The portion 58% adapted to enga e the under side of the su port 46 as clear y shown in' Figure 5 of t e drawings. The arrangement of the bell crank lever and the support 46 is such that when the parts are in the position shown in solid lines in Figure 5, a sliced bread may be supported upon the support 46. Movement of the bell crank lever D to the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 5' will cause the support to swing upon its pivot and assume an inclined position. The

purpose of providing a support movable ported on the under surface ofthe base 10 and is s aced slightly therefrom byinsulat- 1 cludes atimecontroljleverfifi" adap 'tedto project through a slot 68 formed in the base The lever 66 may be shifted to various positions and thus the lengthof'timefor operas: tion of"'t'he' timing mechanism {1S governed and controlled. v The-timing mechanism also includes an actuator 7 0 which is designed for engagement withthe act .ating part 54 of the leverv D.' Thelever D pro ects down through a slot 72 formed in the. 10 of the support A.

A pair sign may be mounted upon the gtoaster base;

1 aa rkw a of handles 74 of anti aabaaji.

. l/"'- The practical operation of mygtoaster consists in first adjusting the lever 66. to any predetermined position for governing the len h of' time thebread is tobe toasted. The bell crank lever D is then manipulated by moving it from the position. shown in solid lines in Figure 2 to the position shown in solid lines in-Figure 5 of the drawings. Thepart 54 of the lever D engages the actuator 7 0 of the timing mechanism E. The

timing mechanism then begins to function. Movement of the lever -D as just described will cause-the support 46 to assume ahorizontal position. A slicepf bread is then inserted throughthe opening 20 of the casing B. The timing mechanism continues to function and the actuator 70 thereof will move in the direction indicated by the arrow 76. The actuator 70 engages the part 54 and causes the'lever to return to its original-and startingv osition.

' Movement of. t e lever D likewise carries with it the part 58 and thus the support 46 will be permitted, due to its own weight and the weight of the bread thereon, to drop by gravity and to assume the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The support,-

when inclined',fserves as a guide or run-way for permitting the. slice of bread to slide thereon and thereby out of the. toaster.

It will, of course, be understood, that the heating elements on both sides of the toast are in operation at all times. It will be noted further that the toast is ejected from the casing and from between the heating elements through. the same opening through which it was inserted initially int toaster v The length of time it takes the timing mechanism'to trip the lever D and thus the support 46 is strictly overned by the position of the" leverf66. Tf .it is desired to remove the toast from the toaster before com plete operation of the timing mechanism, this can be accomplished by engaging the lever D and raising it upwardly, thus causing the support 46 to assume an inclined position and permitting the toast to be ejected from the toaster. If it should be found that the slice of toast has not been toasted a sufficient amount, irrespective of the timing mechanism, it may be re-inserted into the toaster and the bell crank lever D moved downwardly whereupon the toast will be supported upon the support 46. p

The timing mechanism will serve to trip the lever D and cause the toast to be ejected from within the casing at the proper time. It will be seen that I have provided a mechanism which can be manually operated for ejecting the toast from the toaster, even though the mechanism may have been set for operation at a predetermined time.

The inclined grid wires 42 tend to assist in guidingly supporting the slice of bread when it is sliding out of the toaster by gravity. I have found from actual experience that my toaster operates efiiciently and that the angle of the support 46 is all that is necessary to cause the bread to be slid from the toaster and away from the heating elements. Permitting the bread to be removed from between the heating elements enables me to have a toaster wherein the heat is retained at its maximum at all times so that the toasting operation will be uniform.

It will be noted that the ejecting mechanism has no connection with the control of the heating elements themselves.

Some changes maybe made in the con struction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reason ably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bread toaster comprising a casing having an open end, heating -means within said casing and adjacent the sides thereof, a rectangular support for a slice of bread having a transverse pivot, said support being normally arranged in horizontal position during the toasting operation and.

swinging about its pivot to an inclined position after completion of the toasting operation for discharging a slice of bread longitudinally off said support and endwise through said open end and grid wires in said casing arranged substantially parallel with said support when so inclined.

2. A bread toaster comprising a casing, heating means within said casing, and a movable support within said casing for supporting a slice of bread, said support being normally arranged in horizontal position for the toasting operation, timing mechanism operativelyconnected with said support for causing said support to assume an inclined position after completion of the toasting operation and grid wires in said casing arranged substantially parallel with said support when so inclined.

3. A bread toaster comprising a casing, spaced heating elements within said casing and normally horizontal means positioned between said heating elements for support- A. A bread toaster'comprising a casing having an open end, heating means within said casing and adjacent the sides thereof, a. rectangular support within said casing for a slice of bread, said support being normally arranged in horizontal position during the toasting operation and in. longitudinally inclined position after completion of the toasting operation for discharging a slice of bread longitudinally ofi' said support and endwise through said open end and grid wires in said casing arranged substantially parallel with said support when so inclined.

ERNEST S. JOHNSON. 

